The present invention relates to a method and device for inputting/detecting the coordinate position and a display board system and more particularly, to a method and device for inputting/detecting the coordinate position with improved operability and reliability as well as a display board system which uses the coordinate-position inputting/detecting device.
Conventionally there has been known a display board which can read freehand information written on a whiteboard or a write-in surface of a write-in sheet with some writing tool using a dedicated scanner and output the read information onto a recording paper with a dedicated printer. While, in recent years, there has also been suggested a display board system in which a coordinate-position inputting/detecting device is provided in a write-in surface of a display board for enabling inputting of freehand information written in the write-in surface in real time.
For instance, the Soft Board manufactured and provided by the Microfield Graphics, Inc. is a device having a coordinate-position inputting/detecting device provided on a whiteboard, and being capable of acquiring visual data such as characters and pictures drawn on the whiteboard into a computer in real time. With the display board system using this Soft Board, it is possible to input visual data captured with the Soft Board into a computer for displaying the data on a CRT thereof, to display the data on a large-sized screen using a liquid crystal projector, or to output the data with a printer onto a recording paper. It is also possible to project an image on a screen of a computer with the Soft Board connected thereto onto the Soft Board with a liquid crystal projector and operate the computer on the screen of the Soft Board.
There has also been disclosed a display board system having a display unit for displaying characters and images thereon, a coordinate-position inputting/detecting device with a coordinate-position input surface (a touch panel) provided on a front surface of the display unit, and a control unit for providing controls over display by the display unit according to input from the coordinate-position inputting/detecting device. This system forms a display surface and a write-in surface of the display board by making use of the display unit and the touch input device.
For instance, in a case of the Smart 2000 manufactured and supplied by the SMART Technologies Inc., in a state where an image of a character, a picture, or a graphics is projected with a liquid crystal projector connected to a computer onto a panel, freehand information is captured into the computer using a coordinate-position inputting/detecting device (write-in surface) provided on a front surface of the projection surface (display surface) of the panel. Then, the freehand information is synthesized with the image information in the computer, and the synthesized information can be displayed again with the liquid crystal projector in real time.
There has been disclosed a display board system in the U.S. patent application Ser. No. 9/299,052 (filing date Apr. 4, 1999), the contents of which are incorporated in the present invention by reference.
The a display board system can display an image inputted by the coordinate-position inputting/detecting device superimposed on an image on the screen displayed by the display unit as an overwrite image, so that the display board system has been used for conferences, presentation, or educational purposes and its effect in actual use has been highly evaluated. When a communicating function for transferring audio or video data is integrated with the display board system as described above, the display board system can also be used as an electronic conference system by connecting remote sites with a communication line.
By the way, as a coordinate-position inputting/detecting device used in the display board system as described above, devices described below are known according to a difference between input methods thereof. As a first case, there is a coordinate-position inputting/detecting device having a coordinate-position input surface with wires provided in a grid pattern in the X-Y direction and a dedicated pen for generating a magnetic field and used in a state where a current is passed through the wire. In this coordinate-position inputting/detecting device, when a user points to a desired position by making a dedicated pen contact or bringing the same closer to the coordinate-position input surface for some input operation, an electrical change is generated at the pointed position. The coordinate-position inputting/detecting device detects the coordinates of the position pointed by the dedicated pen according to electrical changes generated as described above on the coordinate-position input surface, and executes the processing of inputting the detected coordinates into a computer.
As a second case, there is a coordinate-position inputting/detecting device having a coordinate-position input surface with a resistive film such as conductive rubber. In this coordinate-position inputting/detecting device, when a user points to a desired position by making a pen contact the coordinate-position input surface for some input operation, a resistance value at the pointed position changes due to the pressure applied to the coordinate-position input surface by the pen. The coordinate-position inputting/detecting device detects the coordinates of the position pointed by the pen according to a change in the resistance values on the coordinate-position input surface, and executes the processing of inputting the detected coordinates into a computer.
Furthermore, as a third case, there is known an optical type of coordinate-position inputting/detecting device having at least two light emitting sections each for emitting a light beam through, for example, a rotating polygon mirror and scanning a coordinate-position input surface with the emitted light beam (Refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. SHO 57-211637). At least two light receiving sections are provided for receiving the light beam reflected with a dedicated pen having a reflecting member provided at the tip thereof inserted in a coordinate-position input surface. It should be noted that the coordinate-position input surface of the coordinate-position inputting/detecting device is not a physical surface like the coordinate-position input surface of the coordinate-position inputting/detecting device in the first and second cases, but is a surface formed with the light beams emitted from the light emitting sections. In this coordinate-position inputting/detecting device, when a user points a desired position on the coordinate-position input surface with the dedicated pen for some input operation, the light beams emitted from the light emitting sections are reflected by the reflecting member of the dedicated pen. The coordinate-position inputting/detecting device receives the reflected light beams, detects the coordinates of the position pointed by the user using the principle of triangulation, and executes the processing of inputting the detected coordinates into a computer.
Of those coordinate-position inputting/detecting devices described above, the optical type of coordinate-position inputting/detecting device described as the third case seems a promising device to us after consideration on an appropriate system to be applied in the a display board system. More specifically, the coordinate-position inputting/detecting device according to the first case has a problem associated with operability in a display board system requiring a large type of coordinate-position inputting/detecting device because a dedicated pen which generates a magnetic field and a main body of the device are connected to each other through a cable. The coordinate-position inputting/detecting devices in the first and second cases have problem that transparency of the coordinate-position input surface is reduced because wire or a resistive film has to be provided on the coordinate-position input surface. Accordingly, when any of the coordinate-position inputting/detecting devices is attached to the front surface of a display unit, for instance, there occurs inconvenience that the information appearing on the display unit is difficult to be seen. Furthermore, the coordinate-position inputting/detecting devices in the first and second cases have difficulty in upsizing and require high manufacturing cost, which is not suitable to be applied to such a system like the display board system that needs a large-sized screen display.
On the other hand, the optical type of coordinate-position inputting/detecting device as the third case is a system in which the coordinates of a position on the coordinate-position input surface pointed by the user are detected by scanning the coordinate-position input surface with light beams and receiving the light beams reflected by the dedicated pen. Hence, the device in the third case does not create any problem even when the device is mounted on the surface of the display unit and used, and upsizing thereof is also comparatively easier. Accordingly, the coordinate-position inputting/detecting device in the third case is thought preferable as a coordinate-position inputting/detecting device used for display board system. In addition, the coordinate-position inputting/detecting device in the third case excellent in operability and viewability of a display unit is also thought preferable to be used even when the device is mounted on the display unit of an ordinary-sized computer taking into consideration the problems in the coordinate-position inputting/detecting devices in the first and second cases.
It should be noted that a coordinate-position inputting/detecting device related to the optical type of coordinate-position inputting/detecting device having described as the third case is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 9-91094 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 9-319501.
With the coordinate-position inputting/detecting device in the third case, however, as a dedicated pen with a reflecting member provided at the tip thereof is required, input operation with, for example, a fingertip, is not allowed, which is inconvenient. In addition, when the dedicated pen is lost or damaged, the input operation can not be carried out. Though it can be considered that only a reflecting member is formed as a discrete device and used by mounting on a user""s finger or a pen, a mechanism for mounting is complicated or there occurs the need to prepare various types of mounting mechanism because of variations in a form and a size of pens to be used and of variations in a size and a length of user""s finger. Furthermore, even if the same reflecting member is used, the reflecting characteristic varies according to the difference in their sizes and forms, hence, stable detection of a coordinate position can not be carried out.
The coordinate-position inputting/detecting device in the third case uses a mechanical system such as a rotating polygon mirror and a motor for rotating the rotating polygon mirror for scanning the coordinate-position input surface with light beams. Therefore, there is a problem that vibrations in the device occur due to the mechanical system, which causes reduction of reliability of detecting a position or occurrence of noise therein.
It is an object of the present invention to improve, for the purpose of solving the problems described above, operability and usability of a method and device for inputting/detecting the coordinate position by enabling specification of coordinates of a position in an entry area pointed thereto with an arbitrary pointing body such as a fingertip or an ordinary pen without using a particular pointing device.
It is another object of the present invention to enhance reliability of a device for inputting/detecting the coordinate position by preventing occurrence of vibrations therein.
It is another object of the present invention to improve workability and adaptability to handling of a display board system by using the coordinate-position inputting/detecting device with excellent operability and high reliability.
In the present invention, at least two light emitting units are provided that emit a light beam travelling along an entry area, at least two intensity-distribution detecting units are provided that receive a light beam reflected by a reflecting unit and detects distribution of the intensity of the received light, and a coordinate-value identifying unit is provided in order to identity the coordinates of a blocked position where the light beam travelling along the entry area is blocked by using each distribution of intensity detected by the intensity-distribution detecting units. Accordingly, with the present invention, a user can perform a desired input operation only by blocking a portion of the light travelling along the entry area with an arbitrary pointing body such as a user""s finger or a pen.
In the present invention, each of at least two light emitting units emit a light beam toward an inner side of a frame to form an entry area in the inner side thereof, each of at least two intensity-distribution detecting units receive a light beam reflected by a reflecting member provided in a specified location of the frame and detect distribution of the intensity of the received light. Further, a coordinate-value identifying unit identifies a blocked position using the detected distribution of intensity. Accordingly, with the present invention, a user can perform a desired input operation only by blocking a portion of the light within the entry area with an arbitrary pointing body such as a user""s finger or a pen.
In the present invention, the light emitting unit forms light from a light source into a fan shape and emits the fan-shaped light beams so that the emitted light beams cover the entry area or a substantially entire area of the inner side of the frame.
In the present invention, one unit of light source may be provided for all the light emitting units or one unit of light source may be provided for each of the light emitting units.
In the present invention, a light converging system converges light from the light source to form fan shape light beams, so that a light that can cover most of the area of the inner side of the frame can be emitted. Accordingly, with the present invention, the need for preparing a mechanical system such as a rotating polygon mirror used for scanning an entry area with a light beam can be eliminated.
In the present invention, a light converging lens converges the light reflected by the reflecting unit, and a light-receiving element receives the light converged by the light converging lens and outputs an electric signal according to the distribution of intensity of the received light. More specifically, the light reflected by the reflecting unit is converged by the light converging lens at a different incident angle with respect to the light-receiving element, so that the light-receiving element can easily detect the distribution of intensity of the light.
In the present invention, the light reflected by the reflecting unit is led to the light-receiving element through a slit, and the light-receiving element receives the light converged by a light converging lens and outputs an electric signal according to the distribution of intensity of the received light, with which the distribution of intensity of the light can be detected. More specifically, the light reflected by the reflecting unit is converged by the slit at a different incident angle with respect to the light-receiving element, so that the light-receiving element can easily detect the distribution of intensity of the light.
In the present invention, dark points generated on the light-receiving elements due blocking of the light beam in an entry area are detected according to the electric signals outputted from the light-receiving elements, and coordinates of the light-blocked position are computed using the detected dark points in order to identify the coordinates of the light-blocked position. Herein, coordinates of the light-blocked position can be identified using, for example, the principle of triangulation.
In the present invention, dark points generated on the light-receiving elements due blocking of the light beam in the entry area are detected according to the electric signals outputted from the light-receiving elements, coordinate information obtained by previously correlating the coordinates within the entry area to each combination of two detected dark points is referred to, and the coordinate values corresponding to the combination of the detected dark points are selected as coordinate values of the light-blocked position in order to identify the coordinates of the light-blocked position.
In the present invention, a light emitting unit, a reflecting unit, and an intensity-distribution detecting unit are integrated with the frame, which enables easy attachment of the coordinate-position inputting/detecting device, for example, to a display unit.
In the present invention, a minimum-value identifying unit identifies minimum values of the distribution of intensity detected by each intensity-distribution detecting unit respectively, a computing unit computes a time differentiation of identified coordinates. A determining unit determines contents of an input operation performed by a user in the entry area from the previously prepared condition and at least one of the minimum values, coordinate values, and time-differentiated values.
In the present invention, an intensity-value identifying unit identifies the light intensity values of the dark points detected by a dark point detecting unit according to electric signals outputted from each of the light-receiving elements. A second computing unit computes the time differentiation of the coordinates obtained by the first computing unit. A determining unit determines contents of an input operation performed by a user in the entry area from the previously prepared condition and at least one of the light intensity values, coordinate values, and time-differentiated values.
In the present invention, an intensity-value identifying unit identifies the light intensity values of the dark points detected by a dark point detecting unit according to electric signals outputted from each of the light-receiving elements. A first computing unit computes the time differentiation of the coordinates selected by the selecting unit. A determining unit determines the contents of an input operation performed by a user in the entry area from to the previously prepared condition and at least one of the light intensity values, coordinate values, and time-differentiated values.
In the present invention, by using a result of previous determination concerning the contents of an operation as one of the conditions for determining the contents of the next operation, the contents of continuous input operation by a user can accurately be determined.
In the present invention, by forming an entry area that matches with the size of a display surface of a display unit, the display surface can effectively be used. As the entry area is formed with light, viewability of the display unit is not reduced.
In the present invention, by forming an entry area that matches with the size of a write-in surface for writing freehand characters and graphics, the write-in surface can effectively be used. As the entry area is formed with light, the write-in surface can be made use of as it is.
In the present invention, the coordinate-position inputting/detecting device is provided in the front surface of a display unit for displaying characters and images, and a display surface and a write-in surface of a display board are formed with the display unit and coordinate-position inputting/detecting device, so that viewability of the display unit and operability of the system can be improved.
In the present invention, the coordinate-position inputting/detecting device is provided in the front surface of a display unit for displaying thereon characters and images. As a result, a display surface and a write-in surface of the display board are formed with the display unit and coordinate-position inputting/detecting device, so that viewability of the display unit and operability of the system can be improved. Furthermore, the display board system comprises a frame unit having a holding section for holding a display surface and a write-in surface of the display board at a specified height, a printer accommodating section for accommodating the printer therein, and a control unit accommodating section for accommodating the control unit therein. The control unit accommodating section, printer accommodating section, and holding section are arranged in the vertical direction in this order from the bottom. As a result, transport and installation of the system can easily be carried out.
In the present invention, by using a plasma display as a display unit, optimizations of the display board system can be performed. Namely, use of the plasma display allows the thickness of a display unit to be reduced, and also has high brightness as well as a wide viewing angle, and can reproduce moving pictures smoothly, so that the plasma display is preferable as a display unit of the display board system.
In the present invention, a keyboard placement section for placing a keyboard connected to a personal computer is provided at a position in the upper side of the printer accommodating section and in the lower side of the holding section. Therefore, handling capability of the system is improved.
In the present invention, an angle adjusting unit for adjusting an angle of a display surface and a write-in surface of the display board is provided in a holding section. Therefore, disturbance light coming into the display unit (display surface), especially, light from lighting equipment such as a fluorescent tube on the ceiling can be prevented.
In the present invention, a plurality of connecting terminals for connecting various types of information equipment and AV equipment such as a digital camera, a DVD player, and video equipment are provided in a display unit and is usable as a large-sized screen monitor. Therefore, the display board system can be used in any occasions.
Other objects and features of this invention will become understood from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings.